Medicine bottle organizer for home/travel

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for organizing bottles containing medications so as to keep them in an orderly manner. The apparatus comprises a container member having a first predetermined configuration and being formed of a first predetermined material. A lid member is hingedly attachable to an upper end of an edge portion of the container member and a plurality of removable, stackable compartments fit inside the container member. The plurality of removable, stackable compartments have a second predetermined configuration and are formed of a second predetermined material.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is closely related to and claims benefit from U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/680,760 filed May 13, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to a bottle organizer, and,more particularly, the present invention relates to a medicine bottleorganizer for both home and travel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many people, particularly the elderly, take multiple medications.Further, some of the medications may be taken in the morning whileothers may be taken with dinner while still others may be taken atbedtime. As the population ages and life expectancy increases, many morepeople will be required to take more than one medication daily. For manyof these people, not only do they have to take multiple medications butthe medications come with additional paraphernalia. A diabetic, forexample, needs to have easy access to a blood glucose monitor, teststrips and lancets as well as the medications they are taking. Othersmay require syringes, a small measuring cup or even a pill cutter.

Thus, with multiple medications and additional paraphernalia the variousitems can be scattered everywhere and the user may be constantly lookingfor one item or another. It would be advantageous for many of thesepeople if there were a convenient place where all of these items couldbe stored and thereby relieve the user of constantly having to look forthe pill bottle when it is time to take the medication.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention provides an apparatus fororganizing bottles containing medications so as to keep them in anorderly manner. The apparatus comprises a container member having afirst predetermined configuration and being formed of a firstpredetermined material. A lid member is hingedly attachable to an upperend of an edge portion of the container member and a plurality ofremovable, stackable compartments fit inside the container member. Theplurality of removable, stackable compartments have a secondpredetermined configuration and are formed of a second predeterminedmaterial.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention toprovide a container for organizing bottles containing medications so asto keep them in an orderly manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container fororganizing bottles containing medications which can be used at home andfor travel.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a containerfor organizing bottles containing medications which has fourcompartments disposed therein.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a containerfor organizing bottles containing medications which has a travel case.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container fororganizing bottles containing medications which has a magnifying lens onthe compartments to make it easier to read the medications containedtherein.

These and various other objects and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent after a full reading of the following detaileddescription, particularly, when read in conjunction with the attacheddrawings as described below and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus showing the containermember and the travel case separately.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus showing the containermember inside the travel case.

FIG. 3 is a perspective transparent view of the container showing thecompartments inside the container.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the compartments removed from thecontainer and showing different size bottles in the compartments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTSOF THE INVENTION

Prior to proceeding with the more detailed description of the presentinvention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, identicalcomponents which have identical functions have been designated byidentical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated inthe drawings.

In a first aspect the present invention provides an apparatus, generallydesignated 10, for organizing bottles containing medications so as tokeep them in an orderly manner. The apparatus 10 comprises a containermember 2 having a first predetermined configuration and being formed ofa first predetermined material. A lid member 4 is hingedly attachable toan upper end of an edge portion 6 of the container member 4 and aplurality of removable, stackable compartments 8 fit inside thecontainer member 4. The plurality of removable, stackable compartments 4have a second predetermined configuration and are formed of a secondpredetermined material.

It is presently preferred that such first predetermined configuration issubstantially rectangular. Such apparatus 10 further includes a travelcase 12 which is also substantially rectangular for holding thecontainer member 2. Such substantially rectangular travel case 12 ismade of a third predetermined material.

The lid member 4 of container member 2 stands upright when it is raisedto an open position. Such lid member 4 has a pair of pocket sleeves 13disposed on an inner surface thereof for holding such items as unfilledprescriptions, doctor=s appointment cards, emergency information and acalendar. In this way these items are always handy when needed.

It is also presently preferred that such plurality of compartments 4 arefour and that such second predetermined material used for forming thecompartments 4 is made of plastic and it is further preferred that suchplastic is clear so that the user can see the bottles that are storedtherein. Further, it is preferred that the face portion (front) of suchcompartment 4 is a magnifying lens to assist the user in reading thelabels. Such compartments 4 are big enough to store 12 small pharmacydispensed bottles and 8 of the larger pharmacy size dispensed bottles.(That is 6 small bottles per compartment or 4 of the larger bottles percompartment or different combinations as needed). It should be notedthat these bottle sizes are sizes that have been used and dispensed foryears by many pharmacies; however, recently some pharmacies have beendispensing prescriptions in bottles that are stored upside down. Thesebottles are not round so that the number of this type of bottle that canbe stored will be different than what was described above.

The compartments 4 are designed to have two of them sit side by side onthe bottom of the container 2 and then have the other two side by sideon top of the first two. The container also has at least one partition14 that keep the compartments from sliding. It is preferred that thereare two partitions each attached to a side wall and extending inwardlyin the container for a predetermined distance. As is evident in thedrawing Figures this distance is less than a fourth of the width of thecontainer.

Since the compartments 4 do not take up the entire space of thecontainer 2 there is room for the storage of other items such as eyedrops, ear drops, pill cutters, syringes, nose drops or any othernecessary items that the user requires.

The travel case 12 has an opening on one end to permit the container 2to be put inside. The travel case has a door like member 16 which foldsup to close off the opening after the container member 2 is inside. Itis preferred that such door member 16 be held shut when it is closed bymeans of Velcro (hook and loop attachment). Such travel case 12 furtherincludes a shoulder strap 18 for easy portability.

It is presently preferred that such first predetermined material isplastic. Such plastic can be the same as that used for the compartments4 or it can be a different plastic. It is also preferred that such thirdmaterial used for the travel case be selected from canvas, fabric orplastic with canvas being preferred.

While a presently preferred embodiment and alternate embodiments of thepresent invention has been described in detail above, it should beunderstood that various other adaptations and/or modifications of theinvention can be made by those persons who are particularly skilled inthe art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or thescope of the appended claims.

1. An apparatus for organizing bottles containing medications so as tokeep them in an orderly manner, said apparatus comprising; (a) acontainer member having a first predetermined configuration and beingformed of a first predetermined material; (b) a lid member hingedlyattachable to an upper end of an edge portion of said container member;and (c) a plurality of removable, stackable compartments that fit insidesaid container member, said plurality of removable, stackablecompartments having a second predetermined configuration and beingformed of a second predetermined material.
 2. The apparatus, accordingto claim 1, wherein said first predetermined configuration issubstantially rectangular.
 3. The apparatus, according to claim 2,wherein said apparatus further includes a substantially rectangulartravel case for holding said substantially rectangular container member,said substantially rectangular travel case being formed of a thirdpredetermined material, said substantially rectangular travel casehaving an opening on one end for permitting said container member toslide inside.
 4. The apparatus, according to claim 3, wherein saidsubstantially rectangular travel case further includes a door member forclosing said opening after said container member is inside.
 5. Theapparatus, according to claim 4, wherein said door member of saidsubstantially rectangular travel case is secured with a hook and loopattachment.
 6. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said lidmember stands upright when raised to an open position.
 7. The apparatus,according to claim 6, wherein said lid member further includes at leastone pocket sleeve on an inside surface for holding at least one ofunfilled prescriptions, doctors appointment cards, emergency informationand a calendar.
 8. The apparatus, according to claim 7, wherein said atleast one pocket sleeve is two.
 9. The apparatus, according to claim 1,wherein said second predetermined material is plastic.
 10. Theapparatus, according to claim 9, wherein said plastic is clear.
 11. Theapparatus, according to claim 1, wherein each compartment of saidplurality of removable, stackable compartments has a magnifying lens asa face portion of said each compartment so as to make it easier to readlabels on such bottles disposed therein.
 12. The apparatus, according toclaim 1, wherein said plurality of removable, stackable compartments isfour.
 13. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said containermember further includes at least one partition member disposed againstone side wall and extending inwardly for a predetermined distance forsecuring said plurality of removable, stackable compartments.
 14. Theapparatus, according to claim 13, wherein said at least one partitionmember includes a second partition member disposed on an opposite sidewall as said at least one partition member and extending inwardly for apredetermined distance for securing said plurality of removable,stackable compartments.
 15. The apparatus, according to claim 1, whereinsaid plurality of removable, stackable compartments are stacked with twocompartments side by side as a bottom row and two compartments side byside on top of said bottom row.
 16. The apparatus, according to claim 1,wherein each compartment of said plurality of removable, stackablecompartments can hold one of four large pharmacy dispensed containersand six of small pharmacy dispensed containers.
 17. The apparatus,according to claim 1, wherein said first predetermined material isplastic.
 18. The apparatus, according to claim 3, wherein said thirdpredetermined material is selected from canvas, fabric, and plastic. 19.The apparatus, according to claim 16, wherein said third predeterminedmaterial is canvas.
 20. The apparatus, according to claim 3, whereinsaid travel case further includes a carrying strap.